Runway Run 5k

We were all signed up for the Runway Run 5k this past Saturday. The race is held at the Air and Space Museum and is actually run up and around and back on multiple different runways. It is a fun race and has the potential for being a fast course. We ran it the first year they did it in 2015 and that year Jeremy was first overall male and I was first overall female so we both won memberships to the Air and Space Museum. Last year we ran it again about a week after Jeremy's accident, read about it here. I hoped to win again so I could get a membership to the museum but after spending the night with Jeremy at the hospital and taking a wrong turn during the race I was outkicked at the finish line and came up just a few seconds short. This year we had a cold front move through during race week and we had some really cold days. We knew it was also supposed to get even colder that weekend. I took Elise on a run with me Thursday morning while Carter was at school to try out running with the stroller in really cold temperatures. We have a weather shield which works wonderfully but I was worried it wouldn't be warm enough in sub-20 degree temps since I usually don't take the kids on runs when it's below 20 degrees. The temperature on Thursday was 19 degrees but felt like 5 degrees with gusts up to 26 mph. I put Elise in two pairs of pants, two coats, a hat, mittens, had two blankets on her, and put the weather shield on the stroller. I stopped about half a mile in to feel her and she felt warm. She kept taking her shoes and socks off so I had to stop multiple times to put them back on. When we finished our run I realized I must've missed her take her shoes off again as her feet were bare in the stroller. I felt them and they were really cold. I freaked out and got really upset. I stood and held her feet until they warmed up and I felt like the worst mom in the world. Her cheeks were also a little cold to the touch. After showering with me she felt warm again. Then Friday morning around 4:30 am I woke up with food poisoning and was miserable all day long. Ty decided I shouldn't run since I was sick but by Saturday morning I was feeling a lot better and was tempted to run. Then we checked the weather and it was a whopping 2 degrees and felt like -6. There was no way I was making my kids sit in a stroller for a race in that weather so I decided I would for sure not run the race. Since you get free admission to the Air and Space Museum I decided to go ahead and take the kids to spectate.

It was hard being at the race and not running. I definitely still really wanted to run but I knew I was making the best decision for my kids. I also knew it made the most sense for me to sit the race out since my stomach still didn't feel very good when I ate breakfast that morning. I still really wished I could be out there pushing to win a membership to the museum. The first year we ran the race it was crazy windy which slowed times down considerably. Then last year there was snow and slush all over the runways. This year was the best year for the race and the best chance at a fast time and I was missing it which was hard for me to not think about. But once the race started and the kids and I were playing in the museum, we had such a blast. I was so glad Carter got the chance to enjoy the museum and play in the airplanes. Elise really enjoyed herself as well.

 

 

About 20 minutes after the race started we headed outside to watch everyone finish. I tried to rush the kids out but by the time we made it outside the clock was at 25 minutes and we had missed Jeremy and dad cross the finish line. We got to see Ty finish and then my mom shortly after. It turned out the top female finished in 19:58 which I know on this course even not being in top shape I could have run, but after running later in the day and having to stop at the restrooms I know running that hard with my stomach feeling the way it did could have ended in embarrassment for me in the form of having an accident as I sprinted. Jeremy finished 6th overall and 1st in his age group with a post-accident PR of 21:06. Dad finished next in 24:01 which put him 2nd in his age group. Ty finished in 28:51 which put him 4th in his age group. He joked that Jeremy bumped him out of a medal again because last year Jeremy finished ahead of Ty even though he was still in a coma because Ty ran with his packet under the stroller. This year Jeremy won the age group while Ty finished 4th. Mom finished the race in 33:40 which put her 5th in her age group.

 

 

 

 

A picture mom took of Jeremy during the race.

A picture mom took of dad during the race.

We stayed around after the race for awards. Carter had a blast playing on the computer flight simulators, Ty got in on the action too. Elise was all about her Uncie J. She wanted no one but him and if anyone tried to take her from him, she'd say, "UH UH!" and hold onto his arm tighter. Even when I tried to take her so he could rest his arms. Later that afternoon I headed out for a 12 mile run. Since I didn't run the race I was able to get a long run in that I hadn't anticipated. So I think missing this race was a good thing in the grand scheme of things and was better in terms of my long term goal of a half-marathon PR so I feel good about the decision not to run the race. It's always hard to sit on the sidelines and watch others compete, but it's a lot easier when you are playing with 2 little cuties!